Wishing for a Miracle
by MidnightAngel30
Summary: After a spell gone wrong, Caroline awakens to find herself alone in a field. As she wanders around a nearby forest, Klaus finds her, only to say that they are on their own. Now forced to work together, they must find out what happened, and figure out a way back home. All while in a world where fairy tales live and breathe, no less. AU. Inspired by Once Upon A Time.
1. Mistakes Have Been Made

"Look, Esther is going to be here to collect at any moment. We need to figure out a way to keep everyone, especially Elena, safe," Matt said.

Caroline, Elena, Matt, Tyler, and Bonnie were in the Gilbert household, trying to figure out how to stop Esther's rampage. She was still set on destroying the abominations, also known as her children. Only her latest plan included getting rid of Elena as well.

The five of them were stumped as to how to keep Elena safe though. No matter what they came up with, someone thought of a counter that Esther would most likely have.

"Why does she need to get rid of Elena anyway? If she gets rid of her children, Elena shouldn't be a concern," Caroline thought aloud.

"Esther is known to be thorough, Care," Elena stated, pacing around the room with her arms crossed.

"She'll want to get rid of Elena as a safety measure," Bonnie informed him.

"Why can't that Original bitch just leave town. I want to be done with this," Caroline complained.

"We'll think of something to get rid of her, but we have to think fast. Damon and Stefan will be back with Klaus, Elijah, and Rebekah soon. They're going to want progress." Strangely, Kol had disappeared, and none of Caroline's group knew where he had gone. As long as he wouldn't get in their way, it's not like they cared all that much.

"Screw them! They could help if they wanted results so badly," Caroline exclaimed.

"Without any white oak daggers, we don't have anything to threaten them with. Since Klaus is attached to everyone's bloodline, we couldn't kill him anyway," Elena reminded her. Oh yea.

"And if he lives…" Bonnie began.

"Then his siblings have to as well, or he rips us to shreds," Caroline finished.

"Guys…what if we're thinking the wrong way?" Elena asked the group.

"Meaning?" Caroline questioned.

"Meaning we keep looking at ways to get rid of Esther, rather than ourselves."

"Would you stop talking in riddles? What are you even going on about?" Caroline asked, frustrated that she hadn't caught on to whatever it was already. Bonnie, however, had gotten whatever Elena was trying to say.

"She means that we keep looking at ways to kill Esther, rather than just figure out a way to lay low until Esther presumes we're dead. Or the more likely option, we've had enough time to figure out a way to get rid of Esther for good. Let's face it, she's patient, and will probably not give up until her children are ash."

"She's been around for like…a billion years," Caroline said, "wouldn't she know if we were just hiding?"

"She's not the only witch," Bonnie said, flipping through her grimoire. She smiled as she landed on a page, pointing to a spell. "This should work," she said triumphantly.

"What is it?" Matt asked, coming to stand beside Bonnie.

"A spell that will transport us anywhere we want to go. It's an untraceable spell, so it would basically be like disappearing into thin air."

"You mean just like that, we could be anywhere we wanted?" Caroline asked.

"Exactly."

"Doesn't that seem a little too easy?" Matt wondered.

"Not all spells are terribly complicated, and this one seems manageable. Esther would have no way of locating us."

"Let's do it then. I'm willing to give anything a try to keep you guys safe. You're doing so much for me already," Elena said.

"It's going to be okay," Matt reassured her, "No ones destroyed our little group of misfits yet."

"Wait, what about Jeremy? Do you think he's safe in Denver?"

"He should be fine," Bonnie said calmly, "and so will Alaric for that matter. At least, he is as fine as he can be. Meredith will be here to take care of him though. Esther's main focus is on those who can cause her trouble. She doesn't see either of them as a threat to her plans."

"How are we going to do this then?" Caroline asked, ready to get the hell out of Mystic Falls. This could actually be just the adventure she was looking for. And she would get to keep herself undead for the rest of eternity instead of meeting her ultimate end.

"I think it best we go in at least groups of two. That's the maximum number of people I can send to one place at a time, without the risk of something going wrong. And we can't all be in the same place either. We need to spread out, just to be extra cautious."

"How do we decide who goes with who?" Tyler asked, stealing a glance at Caroline every now and then. She smiled. Of course he would want to go with her. She wanted to go with him too.

"Well…someone has to go with the Originals," Bonnie reminded them all. This silenced the room for a bit. Who in the hell wanted to go with them? Maybe Elijah wouldn't be so bad, but going with Klaus and Rebekah? That sounded like a nightmare.

"How long will we be with our partners for?" Tyler asked.

"Hard to say. We can obviously still call and text and stuff like that. Once we're split up, we can keep in touch and decide where we want to meet. Then we can go our way, and the Originals can go theirs. Once the spell has been used on each of us, a witch can't track us for a good two years. That's plenty of time to figure out a way to end Esther. This is only a temporary solution after all, not a permanent one."

"I want to go with Caroline," Tyler chimed in.

"And I want to go with Tyler," Caroline said, smiling brightly. Bonnie rolled her eyes.

"Fine you two lovebirds. Elena?"

"I think I should go with Elijah," she said quietly. The whole group turned to her. She just shrugged.

"What? You think it will end well if I choose to go with Damon or Stefan?"

"Probably not," Bonnie agreed, "That leaves Klaus, Rebekah, me, and Matt."

"I could go with you, and Rebekah could go with Klaus?" Matt offered.

"That sounds perfect," Bonnie sighed in relief.

"Now that we have this settled," Caroline piped in, "How is the spell performed?"

"Like I said, it's not difficult. You write your name on a piece of paper, we put it in a bowl, set it on fire, and then I say the spell."

"This won't have any weird side effects?"

"It shouldn't. One minute you're here. Next minute, you're wherever you want to be. You have to really concentrate on where you want to go."

"Well, now, that sounds wonderful," said a familiar voice from the doorway. That British accent was impossible to mistake for anyone else. Klaus and the Originals had arrived.

"Original one, two, and three, as requested," Damon said as he walked in, Stefan following close behind.

"How about you test your little witchy experiment on our Salvatore boys…just to be certain," Klaus suggested, scrunching his nose up as he did.

"Well why not test it on Original Blondie and Original-pain-in-my-ass," Damon retorted.

"You should treat me with more respect Damon. You come from my bloodline after all," Klaus said.

"Enough of this contest! Someone has to go first!" Caroline said.

"Nice to see you again, sweetheart," Klaus drawled as he turned to get a better look at the blonde. Caroline just rolled her eyes.

"Just…tell us what to do Bonnie," Stefan conceded, "The sooner we get out of here, the better."

"Like I was telling everyone else, just write your name on a piece of paper, throw it in a bowl, we set the paper on fire, and then I say the spell. All you have to do is think about where you want to go. We partnered everyone up already. Damon and Stefan, I guess you two are first."

Both the Salvatore boys turned to Elena, who just shook her head. "I'm partnered with Elijah."

The oldest Original now turned to face the brunette. Without making the slightest change in expression, he shrugged. "That is fine with me."

"What?" Damon said, the anger obvious in his voice.

"Relax. She'll be fine. I can protect her better than you could anyway," Elijah said, giving a small smile.

"He's right, Damon. Let's just be the guinea pigs for now, okay?" Stefan asked, walking over to Bonnie and writing his name down on a piece of paper he got from the kitchen counter. Damon took a deep breath before storming to the paper and ripping off a part of it so that he could write his name as well. Both of them tossed it into a bowl and gave it to Bonnie. She pulled a pack of matches out of her pocket and lit one.

"I want only one of you to think of somewhere to go. Anywhere. This should be instant, so hang on. Text or call when you get to your destination," she informed, dropping the match in the bowl after. Bonnie immediately began to chant something Caroline couldn't understand. While she did that, Matt got the notepad that Stefan and Damon had used, and passed it around the group, getting them to sign their name and drop the slip of paper into a bowl he had gotten.

A loud pop resounded through the house, causing everyone to look around. Damon and Stefan and both vanished. Elena looked worried, walking over to Bonnie and into the bowl.

"Did it work?" she asked with concern.

"We'll have to wait and-"

An assortment of dings and buzzes rang throughout the house as phones started going off, indicating an incoming text message. Caroline checked her phone, and saw she had something from Stefan.

_Made it to Paris safely. Here with Damon. It worked._

"God Damon is an ass. 'The babes in berets here are just fabulous. You should really see the long legs on some of these women,'" Elena read to everyone.

"The spell worked then?" Rebekah asked from beside Klaus.

"It worked," Bonnie smiled, "Okay, Elena and Elijah next. Same procedure as before."

Bonnie took out their slips of paper from the bowl, and tossed them into the bowl she was using for her magic. She lit another match and threw it to the papers. It took another couple minutes, but after the chanting was finished, another loud pop rang through the air. The rest of them waited patiently for a text to come in. Caroline received one from Elena about five minutes after Bonnie had stopped her chanting.

_We're in New Zealand. We're okay!_

Caroline smiled at the text message. This was great! For once, everything was working out like they had planned for it to. She saw Bonnie and Matt smiling from the same text they had no doubt got as well.

"Okay," Bonnie started, "Let's have-"

But she didn't get to finish her sentence. Outside, they heard a knock on the door. Everybody they knew had gone off to attend to other business while they took care of this spell. The only person it could be was…

"Mother," Rebekah said.

"We need to speed this along, witch," Klaus urged, walking over to where Bonnie stood.

"I don't know how to speed this up!" she said calmly, and with a threatening tone to her voice.

"Then find a way. And soon."

Bonnie looked to the floor, obviously deep in thought. "Well…I don't know how it would turn out…but we could try dumping everyone else's name into the bowl. It's the only way I know how to make it go faster, but the spell says-"

"I don't care. Just try it!" Klaus demanded. Bonnie glared at him coldly before throwing the bowl of papers into the other bowl, and lighting a match. She began chanting quickly, all of them listening to the constant knocking on the front door. Caroline gave Tyler one last smile, before a loud pop rang in her ears, and then…it all went dark.

* * *

There was a gust of wind. Caroline could feel it blowing across her face. There was grass underneath her, that much she could tell too. Thank god she had decided to wear a simple purple hoodie with jeans that day, instead of her usual dresses and skirts. Her eyelids felt heavy, like she was still in that stage of being awake, but wanting to go back to sleep in the mornings. Okay, retrace steps.

There was Elena's house, Bonnie performing a spell and…that was it! Esther had come to the house, and Bonnie had been forced to perform the spell quicker than had been planned. Caroline had been thinking about a place to go though. So, where had she been taken? More importantly, was she by herself, or with Tyler?

Caroline carefully opened her eyes, squinting as soon as the sun hit them. It was bright here at least. Okay…she was in a field, elevated on some kind of hill. There was a lake not far from her. Trees everywhere. The scenery was pleasant at least, but this was definitely not Mystic Falls. If Tyler had thought of this place, she would have to thank him. It seemed peaceful, and like a place they could hide out until it was time to meet everyone else.

She grabbed her phone from her pocket to text the rest of them, but she was getting absolutely no service. Strange. She put it back and carefully propped herself up on her knees. Where was Tyler? There wasn't anyone around her Just a bunch of green grass and blue skies. Clouds were slowly drifting through the sky as the wind continued to blow at a comfortable pace. When she was sure she could stand, she got up and did a complete three sixty. No houses, no people, and no cell service. Maybe she would have to take that thank you back from Tyler.

Right, Tyler. Where was he?

Where could she even begin looking? It was clear he wasn't near her, so where was she supposed to start her search? Probably going to the forest that lay ahead of her. She didn't like the idea of going far away from the bright little patch of heaven she was in, but the longer she was there without anyone with her, the more nervous she got. Something didn't feel right.

Caroline started off toward the forest, looking around her as she did. Something had to of gone wrong with the spell. She was supposed to be _with_ Tyler right now, not looking for him. To have thought everything was going as planned had been the jinx. When did anything ever go as they planned for it to?

The light from outside the forested area began to disappear, replaced by a gloomy atmosphere that Caroline didn't enjoy. There was still no Tyler to be found anywhere. Her brows furrowed as she concentrated on looking for him. As she was walking through the forest, she heard something crunch underneath her. Caroline lifted her foot to see white powder littering the ground. Was that snow?

She wrapped her arms around herself as she continued forward for a few more minutes. The farther she walked, the more snow there was. It hadn't been winter out on that hill. That was for sure. Now red flags were beginning to rise as she looked around, the tall trees blocking her view of the once blue sky. It was now grey, cloudy, and partially covered by greenery.

Unexpectedly, she heard a howl, and turned quickly to face the direction it had come from. Was that a werewolf? She had been transported to a place where werewolves roamed free? Spectacular.

Her gaze found the snow-covered ground, and she about fell backward at the sight. Spots of red were splattered on the snow, shaped in the form of paw prints. Oh god, oh god, oh god. She ran in the opposite direction of the prints, only to be grabbed from behind and sped over to a nearby tree, a hand placed firmly over her mouth. She squirmed and tried to get out of her captor's grasp, but the person was incredibly strong. How were they able to do that? She was a vampire! Shouldn't she be stronger than any man or woman?

"Shh, it's okay, it's okay. It's me. It's okay. You're safe," a man's voice whispered soothingly into her ear. That voice. Caroline instantly relaxed, and the hand disappeared from her mouth. She turned her head around enough to look him in the eyes.

"Klaus, what's going on? Where are we? Where is everyone?" she asked, worry lacing her voice.

"You're the first one I've seen so far. I don't know where we are. I woke up in this forest, and I don't know what's going on. I'm as lost as you are, sweetheart."

Caroline nodded slowly, processing the fact that Klaus of all people had no idea what was going on.

"This has something to do with the spell, but I don't know where we ended up. I wasn't thinking about a destination when she was talking. I remember worrying about Esther, and then poof…I was in a field during the summer, and now I'm in a forest during the winter."

"It was sunny where you were?"

"Yea."

"Do you remember how to get back there?"

"I think so, but I'm not sure."

"Try your best to remember. I don't think it's best to stay in here much longer," he said, another howl ringing through the winter air, as if to prove his point. She nodded in agreement.

"This way. I can see my footprints. We'll follow that back to the other part of the forest."

Klaus nodded, letting her go as they walked. There were no bloody paw prints along the path as they followed her footprints. After who knew how long, they ended up back in the dark forest that didn't have snow. Now Caroline just had to trust her instincts and hope she could get back to the hill.

"I'm guessing you couldn't get cell service either?" she asked. He shook his head. She sighed and kept going. Please say they were going the right way. Please say they were going the right way. Please say…

They were!

Caroline smiled as they came back to the green hill and the lake that was out in the distance. She willed herself not to fall face first on the luscious grass in pure joy.

"Of course I wouldn't pop here," Klaus said in a hushed voice. Caroline just rolled her eyes.

"Be happy you ended up unscathed. That forest didn't look too friendly."

"I won't count myself lucky until I know where we are," he said, surveying the land before them.

"You know, if you hadn't rushed Bonnie with the spell, we might have ended up in London. Or Hawaii. And we might have actually been with the people we wanted to be with." Being on the beach with Tyler sounded like a dream.

"I don't know about you, but I'm perfectly content with who I'm partnered with," he smirked.

"You're supposed to be with Rebekah right now! And I'm supposed to be with Tyler!"

"Unfortunately for you, it's just the two of us. So deal with it," he said smugly, grinning the entire time. She grunted and walked forward. There went the semi nice moment between them.

"What are we looking for?" she asked.

"Any sign to tell us where we are, or maybe where the others went."

"We could walk along the edge of the lake? Maybe we'll find something."

"Fine by me," he shrugged.

The two walked down toward the lake, picked the direction that led them away from the forest, and began following it. The sunlight glimmered along the still surface of the water. The wind was back to blowing at it's comfortable speed and temperature. It was like a dream. Was she going to end up waking in some dumpster, only to realize this had been a dream? Wait…no, that couldn't happen. If that were the case, Klaus wouldn't be in her dream. This was real.

She glanced at the hybrid before her, looking at his snow covered black denim jeans. He also wore a black shirt with a black leather jacket. It was funny to see so much white dust on a man wearing all black. Caroline giggled at the sight, causing Klaus to glare at her.

"I don't find this predicament we're in that funny."

"You just look funny with all that snow on you," she smiled. His lips formed a tight line, and he didn't say anything else. For a man who kept trying to woo her, he was kind of funny when he was in a mood.

The two came across a stone bridge that went across the lake and to another field. Off in the distance, was something they wouldn't have expected to see where they were.

"Is that…" she trailed off.

"I think so," he agreed thoughtfully.

The castle was all white, and built almost to the sky. The roof was made of some blue material, with golden spheres located on the tip. It was magnificent, and strange. It wasn't like a castle someone would see in England, or some ancient ruin. It looked brand new and like people actually lived there. The castle was surrounded by another lake. Or the same one, she didn't know.

"Think we should go investigate?" she asked Klaus.

"I don't think we really have any other options. Doesn't exactly scream threatening."

"Is it a mirage?"

"We aren't in the desert, love."

"A hallucination then?"

"It looks very real to me."

"Huh." Caroline shrugged, walking off in the direction the castle was. Why did it look so familiar? That was the real question. She had never been here in her life. Surely she would remember a forest that went from summer to winter with one step. This spell had thrown them in some weird ass place. That was certain.

"What were you thinking of when Bonnie zapped us out of there?" Caroline asked the hybrid. Klaus looked as if he was having an internal battle on whether or not to confide in her. It's not like he really had much choice though, unless he wanted to travel in complete silence. Then again, he might like that.

"I was thinking about how much I wanted to be done with Esther. I'm tired of her trying to kill us. I was thinking about her never being able to find us."

"Don't we all wish we could be done with her," Caroline sighed. Klaus laughed humorlessly, nodding his head in agreement.

After another long stroll through the field, they finally reached the entrance to the castle they had been walking to. The large, wooden double doors stood closed, with castle guards on either side. In every direction, there seemed to be a garden occupying the space. They were filled with a variety of brightly colored flowers and décor. It was actually a pleasant vision. Not something anyone would see near Mystic Falls, which made it all the more exciting.

"Who in the hell lives here?" Klaus asked. Caroline shrugged.

"I don't know, but I like it so far."

"I don't. Gives me the creeps," Klaus said, eyeballing everything suspiciously.

"It's either go here, or keeping wandering around until we get tired. The people here might know where everyone else is. No matter what, they'll at least be able to tell us where we are."

"I suppose."

"You know I'm right," she sang a little. It was the truth. The place seemed welcoming, despite the guards on each side of the doors. However, they were guards. It would be more unsettling if they weren't the least bit serious about their job. She turned to Klaus, who seemed to have given in to her idea. Caroline giggled before he got another word out. Success.

"Alright," Klaus said, sounding defeated, "let's go say hello."

* * *

**A/N: Had this idea in my head and had to get it out there. Not giving up on Torment, for those of you who are reading that. **

**Tell me what you think, and if you guys wouldn't mind reading more. I've really gotten into Once Upon A Time, so I thought what better way to kind of combine the two than put my favorite couple in the middle of fairy tales?  
**

**This story will be a mix of OUAT versions, storybook versions, Grimm brothers versions, and maybe even my own take on things. This will hopefully be a fun piece for me to write and you all to read.  
**

**Review and enjoy my loves! Where did the other four go? Whose castle are they at? Questions, questions. P.S. Feel free to tell me if there is a character you might want to see in later chapters =P  
**

**Thanks to Yana (queenofklaroline) and C. (klaussaholic) for reading over this chapter! You're both wonderful!  
**

**Cover credit goes to: Olivia (thecunningcock on tumblr)  
**


	2. A Familiar Castle

Caroline and Klaus walked to the castle doors, unsure of how to approach the guards.

"What do we say to them?" she asked in a hushed tone.

"We say that we're travelers and looking for a place to stay."

"You mean tell the truth?"

"To an extent…I wouldn't tell them about the spell," he said, like it should have been the most obvious thing in the world. She furrowed her brows.

"Well _duh_." Caroline shook her head, trying to calm her nerves as they approached where the guards stood. The two were on the large side. They looked muscular enough to protect the castle from intruders without any help. When Klaus and Caroline reached the door, one guard held a sword out to block their path.

"What business do you have with the king and queen?" he said in a monotone voice.

"My friend and I are traveling, but have nowhere to stay," Caroline attempted in her sweetest voice. Maybe he would take pity on her?

The guard's gaze narrowed as he searched them for any hint of dishonesty. His sword dropped though, and his head nodded toward the door.

"Follow me," he told them, before walking to the doors and opening it for them. Caroline looked to Klaus before walking inside.

The three had entered into a long hallway, completely made of stone. A long red carpet lay on the floor, leading to another wooden door. Paintings lined the walls along with many different decorative shields. Klaus and Caroline followed the guard through the next wooden door.

It was like they were truly in a king's castle. The area was massive, with a grand staircase in the dead center as someone walked in. Once on the stairs, a person could go either left and up a flight of stairs, or right up another flight. Who knew what was even up there. She guessed numerous bedrooms.

Downstairs, an exquisite rug covered the wooden floors. More paintings and shields lined the walls. The furniture was simply too breathtaking for words. Everything looked comfortable enough to fall asleep instantly in. A large fireplace could be seen by some of the couches and chairs. Large windows that went from the ceiling to the floor brought in streams of sunlight. There was more that Caroline couldn't see, but she didn't want to leave the guard's sight. Besides, it was already a lot for her to take in. It put Klaus's mansion to shame. Complete…and utter shame.

"Stay close," the guard said sternly. Caroline and Klaus nodded before following him down another corridor, past the stairs and windows that showed any passerby a great view of the lake that surrounded the castle. She really needed to get out of town more.

The guard opened a set of large, wooden doors. Inside, was an open room, with practically no décor on the walls, and had only large windows to bring light into the room. At the opposite end sat two large thrones. A man and a woman sat in each.

"Your majesties, I present two wandering travelers looking for shelter. They seek your help, if you so wish to give it."

"Thank you, Sir Alexander. We shall see them. You may go back to your post," the man said. The guard bowed before making his departure. That left Caroline and Klaus with the rather familiar looking couple.

The woman's hair was long, and as black as night. She wore a dress that was all as white as snow, her hair having been done in tight curls. The queen's eyes held kindness in them though, and her blood red lips were curving up into a smile at the newcomers in front of her. The king looked like he would be a tall man if he were standing. His light brown hair was short, and he was definitely handsome. He looked as if he would be as compassionate as the queen, but he still held a bit of an edge to him, much like her as well. It was like they were two halves of the same soul. Caroline could see why they were together.

"So you two are traveling?" The queen asked them softly, her voice sweet and kind, just like Caroline had suspected.

"Yes. We're far from home, and need a place to stay. This land is unfamiliar to us, and we don't know where to go," Caroline informed her. The king looked skeptical at her answer though.

"Your clothes…they are different from what we've seen. Which kingdom do you come from?"

"Kingdom?" Klaus asked, disbelief apparent as he spoke.

"Yes. Kingdom." The king reiterated.

"Um…your majesty. We don't," Caroline began, but Klaus didn't let her finish.

"We come from the kingdom of Mystic Falls."

"Mystic Falls," the queen said, trying out the new words, "I've never heard of such a place."

"It is far, far away," Caroline said, nodding her head.

"Well you poor things," the queen said sympathetically. She rose from her seat and walked gracefully to Caroline. She gave Klaus a once over as well. "You both look so dirty. And you sir look like you've been in the Enchanted Forest."

"_Enchanted_ forest?" Klaus asked. Caroline was sure her face conveyed the confusion she felt as well.

"Oh my gosh," Caroline exclaimed, everything clicking all at once, "You…your…"

"Snow? Yes, I'm sure you've heard of me from even your kingdom. I guess you know that's my husband then, Prince Charming."

"Snow, I'm a _king_ now," he said, a smile on his face all the while, "and I have a name as you very well know."

"Yes, _James_. I am aware you have a name. Charming is still my preference," Snow said playfully.

"Do not confuse our visitors, dear. They may call me King James."

"Fine, fine. As it stands, I believe they need a new change of clothes. What are your names?" She asked happily.

Caroline was still stunned as to what she had figured out, but how did she tell Klaus about it when Snow and Charming were in front of her? She shook her head and managed to get her name out. "Caroline. I'm Caroline, and this is Klaus."

"Caroline. What a beautiful name. Well, Caroline, let's get you and your friend some new clothes. I don't know what you two are in, but those don't look very comfortable."

"Thank you, that's very kind. But we-"

"I insist. Gabriel!" Snow looked around, searching for someone. A man appeared from a door beside the two thrones, walking briskly to his queen before bowing.

"Yes ma'am?"

"Take our guest, Klaus, to get fitted for some new clothes. He's been frolicking in the Enchanted Forest it seems, and needs new attire."

"Frolic? I do not fuc-" Klaus said heatedly.

"Klaus! It's okay. The queen is right. We need better clothes for this kingdom," she said pointedly, hopefully conveying subtly that it would help them. If they were going to be here for any length of time, then they needed to blend. He calmed down a little at her expression, nodding tensely as he followed Gabriel behind the door.

Snow took Caroline's hand gently. "Come! We shall find you some fitting clothes. You and your friend may stay for dinner and for the night if you wish."

"That would be wonderful. I can't thank you enough."

"No need, just follow me. I shall find something for you myself," she said cheerfully, taking her to the door opposite the one Klaus and Daniel went through.

They went through a long corridor, through a doorway that led to a spiral staircase, and into a large bedroom. It had a huge four-poster bed, fit for a king and queen. Sheer curtains hung down, barely covering anyone inside up from the outside world. A tall wardrobe stood beside a door that led to what appeared to be a washroom. That was where Snow began rifling through dresses.

"So…why are you _really_ here, Caroline?" Snow asked quietly, as she continued her search. Caroline was taken aback by the frankness.

"What do you mean?" Caroline asked, sitting on a chair placed in the corner.

"I mean your clothing is strange, your friend obviously doesn't know what the Enchanted Forest is, and you both have been lying through your teeth. I can't help you if I don't know the truth," Snow said matter-of-factually. So she had known? And hadn't said anything? Did that mean Charming knew? Caroline sighed, deciding that it had to be safe to trust them, considering who they were.

"I don't think you'll believe me. I still can't wrap _my_ head around what's happening."

"Try me."

"Well…I think…that I come from a different world," she said hesitantly. Snow furrowed her brows, still looking at outfits.

"Okay…please continue."

"I was trying to get away from someone, and my friend…she knows magic."

"The good magic or the bad magic?"

"The good kind. She was trying to help us. My friends and I all got out safe, but something went wrong with the spell she used. Klaus and I got separated from the others, but I'm afraid we may be stuck…_here_…without a way home."

"But Caroline, we use magic here. How are you so sure you're in another world?"

"Because…I've read about you. In books I've had since I was a child. You were in my storybooks," Caroline admitted quietly.

Snow seemed confused by her confession. "Storybooks?"

"Yes. Like a fairy tale…as in not real."

"As you can see, I'm very real though."

"That's what I don't understand. Nothing makes sense, and I'm so confused your majesty."

"Calm down, child, it's alright. If what you say is true, and you are from some place else, then we should be able to fix this. Like I said, my world has magic."

"You know how to help me?" Caroline said hopefully, but Snow only shook her head.

"No._ I_ don't. However, I am sure I could point you in the direction of someone who would know. First, we have to get you properly dressed. Otherwise you'll stick out like an adult in Neverland."

Snow pulled out a beautiful light blue dress from her closet. She held it out to Caroline, silently asking her to try it on. Caroline did just that, changing in the washroom so Snow couldn't see her. When she came back into the bedroom, she walked over to the full-length mirror and twirled.

The sleeves weren't joined to the shoulder, leaving hers a little bare. The neckline plunged down her chest, showing off a fair amount of cleavage. Brown ribbon hung just below where the open neckline ended, and some also trailed up to her shoulders. The sleeves and the dress itself clung tightly to her body, displaying her curves respectfully. The dress flowed down to her feet, swirling around her when she spun in circles. Snow had also put out brown flats for her to wear with the dress. Everything was absolutely stunning.

"I love it."

"Then it is yours," Snow said smiling.

"Are you sure?" Caroline asked in shock. She was just giving her the dress?

"Of course! Besides, you will need it more than I will. I suspect you have a long journey ahead of you."

"Will this really be good for traveling in though?"

"I have seen women travel in much less suitable attire. I can give you a hunting outfit of mine too, for you to change into when that dress becomes uncomfortable. I have a brown traveling cloak that will surely come in handy too."

"That would be a good back up plan. Thank you so much."

"No problem at all. I will be sure the stable boy brings you one of my horses in the morning to ride as well. And we can pack you with provisions, to hold you over until you reach your destination."

Provisions…oh no! Food! How were Klaus and Caroline supposed to eat when they…well, they needed _blood_ to satiate their hunger? That would have to be something she discussed with Klaus later. This was not good. She didn't remember her storybooks having vampires and hybrids in them. How were they supposed to feed unnoticed?

"Oh! I almost forgot." Snow shuffled over to her bedside table, pulling something out of the drawer. It was a golden necklace with an unidentifiable pendant.

"What is that?" Caroline asked, curious at the gift Snow wanted to give her.

"A necklace with a small bottle of fairy dust attached. This will help you in a pinch, and for any dire situation," Snow said, carefully putting the necklace over Caroline's neck, so that it dangled on her bare chest.

"Thank you…again. For all you've done."

"You are most welcome. Now, tell me…that man…is he with you? Is he your prince?" Snow asked excitedly. Caroline began shaking her hands frantically.

"No, no, no. To be honest, Klaus and I shouldn't even be considered friends. We kind of just got…stuck with each other. I have another prince."

"Oh really?"

"Yes, and I don't know where he is."

"You know…when Charming and I met, he was _engaged_ to another woman!"

"I actually didn't know that." That detail hadn't been in the storybook she read.

"Oh yes. They were engaged, and we met because he caught me stealing from the carriage they were riding in."

"You were stealing?"

"Oh I am quite the spitfire, but it wasn't for evil purposes. I thought it was one of the Evil Queen's carriages. I despise her, and at the time wished to wreck havoc on her in any way possible. Charming caught me though, and chased me down until I was caught in a net that had been set. When we first met…I didn't like or trust him one bit."

"You didn't?"

"Nope. I didn't know that he was my true love. The more time we spent together though, the more I found myself falling for him. It is obvious now that he is a good man, and completely trustworthy. It just took a little time for me to see."

"I think I understand what you're trying to say, but Klaus and I will never be like that."

"Are you sure? He seems quite fond of you."

"How could you tell?"

"By the looks he kept giving you in the throne room. He seems very protective of you. I don't know anything about this other boy of yours, but this Klaus appears to truly care about you. Even if he has a rough exterior."

"You don't know about the things he's done. He's an evil man. Klaus could never really love someone. All he thinks and cares about are his…possessions." Caroline wasn't so sure Snow would understand what a hybrid or vampire was. Then again, Dracula might exist in this world. But that was a risk she wasn't willing to take.

"Then you must open his eyes to what else is possible for him," Snow said smiling, "True love will fix any problem."

"That might work here, but in…_my_ world," she had to keep herself from saying _real_ world, "it doesn't always work. In fact, it rarely does."

"I see. Well, just sleep on it. Maybe you'll reconsider. After all, true love can only work when _both_ parties are actually in love. Not just one."

"Neither of us are in love with each other, so it will never work. I can't be in love with someone like him."

"Okay, okay. Oh! We should get going," Snow said as she got up and took Caroline's hand gently, "Dinner will be ready soon. We should head to the dining hall."

Caroline nodded and walked with Snow down the stairs and through many more hallways before reaching the dining room. A long wooden table almost filled the room up completely. Candles stood in the middle of the table, giving a room a soft glow as the sun began to set outside. Two men stood looking out the window when Snow and Caroline entered. After they turned around, Caroline had to hold back her shock.

One was King James, but the other was Klaus. He had been dressed in this world's clothing as well. He wore a brown vest, or tunic (she wasn't sure what to call it), with light gray sleeves underneath. Over his sleeves were brown leather arm-guards, something that looked like it was for an archer's use. His pants and boots matched his vest, and he looked rather attractive in them.

She realized that Klaus was raking his eyes over her, much like she was doing with him. She had to stop that! Caroline couldn't be doing that with a man who had murdered people! It was unethical!

Klaus snapped out of his daze as well, shaking his head as he walked over to mirror Charming's current actions. He pulled out a chair for Caroline, like King James had done for Snow. Charming sat at the end of the long table, Snow sat to his right, Caroline sat to his left, and Klaus sat beside of Caroline. Snow began filling Charming in on everything she had told Caroline while the dinner was being served. It looked like some sort of cooked bird, with an array of colorful vegetables scattered around it for flavor and appearance. Klaus had given her a stern look after realizing she had divulged some information to Snow, but appeared to visibly relax when he realized not everything had been told.

"Who do you think would be able to help them most? Who could help them find their friends and get home?" Charming asked his wife.

"I considered Rumpelstiltskin, but his services come with a price."

"All magic comes with a price, dear."

"You know what I mean. Perhaps the Mad Hatter could help? Maybe the fairy godmother?"

"The blue fairy?"

"Possibly. The genie?"

"Too tricky. You have to phrase your wish just right with him."

"True. Oh…I'm afraid I don't have as good of an idea as I thought. But maybe…yes! They could go see Grandmother Willow! She'll have an answer."

"Yes, that is a thought. That frisky woman gives me the creeps though."

"She just likes you," Snow teased. Caroline and Klaus looked at each other in confusion. He probably had no idea what was going on. Caroline was just surprised Grandmother Willow actually existed.

"Where does Grandmother Willow live?" Caroline asked.

"In the Enchanted Forest of course. We can get you a map, but I will also send a note to my good friend Red tonight as well. She knows the forest like the back of her hand, and could surely help you navigate it. The forest is large, and can be very dangerous at night. A guide would be useful."

"That would be terrific," Caroline said gratefully. Thank god they had arrived at Snow's castle, rather than the Evil Queen's. That would have been disastrous. Klaus might have fit in more maybe, but still disastrous for her.

"So it is settled? Tomorrow they set off for Grandmother Willow?" Charming asked the group.

Caroline turned to Klaus, searching his face for an answer. He seemed unhappy with the problem they had gotten into, but he nodded his head slowly, agreeing that he would go along with it. Caroline smiled and nodded too, bringing a smile to both Charming and Snow.

"Wonderful. If you will excuse us, Charming and I have business to attend to. Please feel free to stay and eat as long as you like. Caroline, your room is where I got you your dress. Klaus will be staying in the room across from yours," Snow said kindly. Caroline nodded to the couple as they got up and left the dining hall together.

Now Klaus and Caroline were completely alone.

"What in the hell is going on?" Klaus growled, albeit quietly. Caroline bit her lower lip.

"I think we're in a place where fairy tales exist."

"You've got to be kidding me. Fairy tales?" he said in disbelief.

"Yes. Fairy tales. Ones I've read about in books."

"That's the most absurd thing I've ever heard."

"Really? Vampires, werewolves, witches, and hybrids aren't supposed to be real either. Yet, here we are!" she retorted. Klaus's silence was all the answer she needed. Point one for Caroline.

"What does this all mean? How are we supposed to find out what happened to Rebekah and the others?" he asked.

"I guess we visit Grandmother Willow like Snow and Charming suggested."

"Who is Grandmother Willow?"

"Don't you read any fairy tales?"

"Not exactly, love. My dear mother didn't exactly read bedtime stories to my siblings and I as children."

"Right. Well, Grandmother Willow is from the movie Pocahontas. She's a willow tree. I don't know if she would be considered a fairy tale, but apparently, she exists here."

"So we see her, and then what?"

"Then she tells us where to go. This land is full of magic. We just have to find someone who knows how to use it for our needs. And Klaus?"

"Yes?"

"What about food? We can eat the food they give us, but it's not going to quench our thirst. They don't know we're a vampire and a hybrid."

"I prefer humans, but for now, we can go on the Rippah's choice of diets. I'm sure animals live in this Enchanted Forest."

"I guess. It's not like I want to eat Bambi though," Caroline whispered jokingly, but then her eyes widened and she started shaking Klaus's arm frantically, "I don't want to eat Bambi!"

"What? Dammit, Caroline. Calm down," he hissed, "I don't know who fucking _Bambi_ is, but if something starts talking, we'll just walk away. Okay?" Caroline took in a few deep breaths before letting go of his arm and nodding.

"Fine. Yea, that works."

"Good. Are we settled then? Shall we go to bed?"

"I think that would be best," she said quietly, standing up to wait by her chair, "Do you think we'll find them?"

Klaus looked very tired as he shrugged, falling in step beside her. "I don't know. I hope…but I don't know."

"What if we don't find them? What if we never get out?"

"We have to get back. I still have a world to show you," he smirked.

"Seriously? I'm trying to get back home, and all you can do is give me some cheesy line?" Klaus's eyes narrowed as he turned his head away so he wasn't facing her.

"We'll get back. This, I promise you. I won't rest until Esther is gone and my family can once again be together."

"Of course," Caroline sighed.

"What?"

"Nothing, just…nothing. We need to get some sleep. Apparently, we have a big quest to go on tomorrow."

"Right. See you tomorrow, Caroline," Klaus said softly, grabbing her hand as she was turning around to place a gentle kiss on it, "Sleep well."

"You too," she said quietly. Klaus turned on his heels and walked into his bedroom, not once looking back. She shook her head as she walked into her bedroom and closed the door. God he was infuriating. But now she was stuck with him for who knew how long. Hopefully, Grandmother Willow had more answers than Snow and Charming did. Caroline wanted to find Tyler and the rest of them. Maybe if they found Bonnie, she would have an answer to this mess.

What if she wasn't there though? What if her and Tyler and Matt all got zapped to some other place? Or worse? No…she couldn't think like that. They were fine, and would be happy to see Caroline. Just like she was going to be happy to see them. The journey with Klaus wasn't going to be easy, but what choice did she have? She had to work with him, or they would never get back, and they would never find the others. There was no way any good could come from her being with Klaus for so long, but it was necessary, especially in this world.

Only time would tell what obstacles they had to overcome. Or who.

* * *

**A/N: Hope you guys don't mind me putting Grandmother Willow in this. She is just a sassy tree, and I love her.**

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed, followed, and put this story in their favorites. I'm excited for it's potential, and hope to meet expectations!**

**I'm envisioning each chapter to be like a mini adventure, with a different character for each chapter. So feel free to keep giving me characters you might want to see. I have my own ideas, but I have room to put in some requests =)  
**

**Also, TVD tonight loves! I'm so excited. Can't wait for more Klaroline scenes.  
**

**Next chapter, we meet the Cheshire cat, and somebody else. Who will it be? Tune in to find out!  
**


	3. Our Journey Begins

**A/N: I made a small fix from before. I accidentally named the servant Daniel, forgetting that Regina's old love was named Daniel. They are not the same person, so I have changed the servant's name to Gabriel. I will go back and change the last chapter as well. Sorry for any confusion!**

**I also apologize if the first part seems rather short. I didn't want to repeat the _whole_ scene from last chapter. Just wanted to give you a short bit of Klaus' POV.  
**

* * *

"Take our guest, Klaus, to get fitted for some new clothes. He's been frolicking in the Enchanted Forest it seems, and needs new attire."

"Frolic? I do not fuc-" Klaus said heatedly.

"Klaus! It's okay. The queen is right. We need better clothes for this kingdom," she said pointedly.

He could have killed her.

What was she trying to do to him? He didn't frolic! Nonetheless, he got her message. If they continued to stay in their clothing, they would surely stick out in…well, wherever this place was. He nodded, still not happy with their circumstances, and followed this Gabriel character to get new clothes.

The man took him to some large, and very fancy looking room. It rivaled _his_ taste in bedroom décor. Color him impressed.

"Wait here sir, while I fetch you some new clothing," Gabriel said formally, walking behind a door, and disappearing from sight. Klaus raised an eyebrow, pacing around the room until he decided to sit in a regal looking chair. He could take notes from their decorator. His mansion needed some renovations. Again.

"Well hello! And who might you be?" someone said from beside Klaus' ear. The voice might have scared anybody else, but this _was_ Klaus. He simply turned toward the supposedly kind sounding person, but didn't see anybody standing in the room.

He did find a cricket on his shoulder though. This king and queen were rich enough to afford such lavish furniture and decorations, but they couldn't keep their palace from infestation? Klaus scoffed, and slapped the little insect away, watching it fly across the room from the inhuman force he used. Sadly, it still lived, flying out of the room. Hopefully there wouldn't be any more buggy encounters for him at least.

Gabriel walked around from behind the door, appearing with several selections for Klaus to choose from.

"Here you go, sir. Just call should there be anything else you desire."

"Thank you," Klaus said politely, giving him a sufficiently pleasant smile. He could at least admire the manners these fools had. Despite the insects, they had good taste. Not just with furniture, but with clothing as well. It wouldn't hurt to play nice, until he knew what they could do for him.

"My recommendation would be the brown outfit," a deep voice said from the doorway. King James had made a visit it seemed. Klaus felt _so_ honored.

"I was just thinking the same thing," he said, grabbing the outfit and beginning to undress on the spot. After centuries of living, changing in front of a man or woman didn't faze him anymore. The same didn't go for James, who coughed awkwardly before turning around to give Klaus his privacy.

"So the blonde haired lady you are with. Is there something…you know…between you two?"

"I'm afraid not," Klaus said quietly, tugging his pants on.

"Are you sure? The looks I saw you giving her were not ones a man would give just any woman off the street."

"She is nothing more than a traveling companion." Klaus tugged on the gray shirt, and brown tunic, putting on the arm guards right after. By this time, James had turned back around.

Klaus wasn't one to wait around though. As soon as he was finished dressing, he marched passed James, and headed back toward the throne room. He had no intentions of sharing his feelings with the man. The king was quick, however, and gave him a knowing smile, catching up to Klaus.

"I'm sure Snow will be inviting your 'traveling companion' to dinner. From my experience, women always get what they want. We should head to the dining hall to wait for them."

"Fine," Klaus said curtly, following James. Caroline would probably want to stay for dinner. She almost always did the opposite of what he wanted. Why change now?

"I see you are wary of us, but I promise you that there is nothing to fear. We will not harm you, no matter where you are from."

"I've told you, we come from the kingdom of Mystic Falls."

"And I've told you it doesn't matter where you are from. We will not harm you."

So the king didn't believe him. Fantastic.

The two went to stand by the windows that overlooked the lake around them. Klaus had always had an appreciation for such scenery. Stopping to smell the roses was one of the finer points of being an Original. There was actually time to do so.

Klaus and James didn't say anything else to each other for the rest of the time they stood there. They waited for the queen and Caroline silently, not turning around until they heard footsteps entering the room. He wasn't about to get chatty with James.

When Klaus turned around, he hadn't expected to see such an extraordinary beauty. Caroline looked stunning in her blue gown. And quite alluring too, considering the plunge the neckline took. It made Klaus practically salivate. The sight of her returning the lustful gaze made him want to leap for joy. Was she cracking perhaps?

"Just a traveling companion, huh?" James whispered, watching Klaus with an amused look on his face. How dare he mock Klaus?

He shook his head, noticing that James had walked off to pull Snow's chair out for her. Klaus moved to do the same for Caroline. Right. Manners.

The king and queen began talking amongst themselves, causing Klaus to tense from some of their conversation topics. Caroline had apparently spoken about quite a bit of their journey. They didn't appear to know everything though, so he relaxed, but only slightly. Klaus would always be on edge while they were in this god-forsaken place. Wherever that was.

The night went on, not ending until Klaus bid goodnight to Caroline after leaving her with a kiss on her hand. They had talked a little about what they would do for food. Of course the problem had occurred to Klaus. But he was already planning out fixes in his head. If the Rippah could live on an animal diet for so long, then they could manage for however long it was they were there.

He had been upset about her knowing more than him, but she willingly told him about her fairy tales. So they were in a world with fictional characters? That's what he was getting from all this? He would have rather not known anything if that were true. None of it made a bit of sense. Sure, vampires and hybrids all existed...but not fairy tales. With princesses, and princes, and knights in shining fucking armor. It was all unbelievably idiotic, but what else was he to say? All they had to go on was this Grandmother Willow she spoke of. So for now, that would be the plan. If the land was truly full of magic, they might not need the little witch to get home. They might actually be able to find her, and his sister. He honestly didn't give a shit about the witch, but Caroline did. And she wouldn't leave here without her.

Before he had gone to bed, he had made sure to let Caroline know that he would get her back home. He had an Original witch to kill, a family to reunite completely, and hybrids to create. That wouldn't be delayed because of a rookie witch's mistake.

Once in bed, Klaus' slumber that night became very restless when Caroline kept making cameos in his dreams, wearing that utterly revealing blue dress.

But then again, he wasn't complaining.

* * *

Caroline and Klaus stood at the entrance to the castle with Snow and James. The white horse that Snow had acquired for them was stunning, but unfortunately there was only that _one_. It meant that Klaus and Caroline would have to share.

A pack of food was attached to the saddle, full of food and drink for their journey. Caroline and Klaus had ironed out their plan though to get blood, so hopefully the food would hold them over until they could eat discreetly.

Snow's extra hunting outfit had been packed along with the food, and King James had spared a sword for Klaus. Caroline was gifted with a couple of knives from Snow, as well as a brown traveling cloak, which was also packed away.

"Just follow the trail, and either you'll find Red, or she will find you," Snow reminded them.

"Thank you again for everything," Caroline said gratefully, giving Snow a warm hug. Snow returned it with a friendly smile.

"We do hope you find your friends, and a way home," James said beside them. Caroline nodded her head, going to give James a hug like she had done with Snow. Klaus only bowed to both of them before walking to the horse, and holding out his hand to Caroline.

Of course he would love this part.

She took it gently, not wanting to make a scene in front of Snow and James. Otherwise she might have slapped it. Klaus kept her steady while she hopped up to ride sidesaddle. There was no way she could ride comfortably, with her leg over the saddle, in the dress she wore. Caroline should have worn the hunting outfit. Not only did this dress give Klaus something to stare at, but it was also going to be horribly uncomfortable to travel in. The only good thing about it was that women here wore gowns most of the time.

Klaus climbed up next, swinging his leg around behind her to sit like she wanted to. Her brows furrowed, and she watched as Klaus took the reigns, with his arms around her waist.

"Stay close, love. Wouldn't want you falling," he whispered. She frowned for a split second, but quickly smiled when she turned to wave goodbye to the king and queen. It wasn't long after until they were going down the trail, and heading right for the Enchanted Forest.

"How did you learn to ride so well?" Caroline asked curiously, realizing that Klaus was riding the horse like a pro. She had known he owned horses, but being able to ride them was a completely different matter.

"It was practically a requirement for people of high status to learn back in the day."

"You mean when you were only like, a million or something?"

"Yes…something like that," Klaus chuckled.

"Is that when you learned how to wield a sword?"

"I love that you catch on so fast," he smirked.

Caroline sighed, wondering what it would have been like to actually enjoy riding sidesaddle. What it would have been like to learn how to use a sword and knives properly. Then again, she might not have gotten to learn, since she was a woman. And sidesaddle would have probably been worse. Women's dresses were much larger in the time that Klaus had lived in.

As the two of them went further and further into the forest, Caroline began looking around. How was Red supposed to find them? Just keep walking until they found a cabin? Actually…that wasn't a bad idea. These woods screamed I-have-a-cabin-hidden-within. Maybe that was where Red lived.

"Do you see any signs? Something to show us where there might be a cabin? I bet that's where Red lives," Caroline mused, still looking around.

"Aren't we looking for this Grandmother Willow? We have a map. We could just bypass the queen's friend all together."

"But she took the time to send Red a message. Wouldn't it be polite to at least _see_ her?"

"Sweetheart, we shouldn't be worrying about pointless niceties. We need to focus on getting the hell out of here, and finding everyone else, despite my dislike for those who aren't Rebekah. The willow tree will get us one step closer. She is our priority."

"You might want to try that way, if it is Grandmother Willow you wish to find," a deep voice suggested.

Caroline spun her head around, looking for the source of the unexpected voice. But no one was there. Had that just been in her head? That surely wasn't Klaus. Not an accent to be heard for miles besides his.

"So that wasn't just me then," Klaus said under his breath, noticing Caroline's shocked expression. She looked up at his face with concern. Were they being followed? Caroline hadn't heard any footsteps, or the sound of hooves.

"My, my. You aren't from around here, are you?" the voice said again.

Caroline instinctively pressed into Klaus' chest, unsure of where the voice was coming from. He pulled on the reigns, halting the horse's movements. They both looked around warily, while his hand went around her waist, pulling her slightly closer to him.

"Stop taking advantage of the situation!" she hissed quietly.

"Your knives are around your waist," he reminded her, grabbing the hilt of one. "There will be plenty of time for that later though."

She inhaled deeply, trying to keep from jabbing him with her elbow. What didn't he understand about the fact that she was with Tyler?

Caroline turned her head around, facing the path once more. What she didn't expect to see were a pair of big, turquoise eyes staring back at her, with a pearly white smile…but nothing else. Only the eyes, and wide grin were visible, looking expectantly at her, as if waiting for Caroline to perform a trick. Her heart jumped out of her chest, her eyes widening from the sight. It took everything in her not to scream.

"No need to be frightened. I was only trying to help."

"Klaus…" she whispered.

In one swift motion, Klaus had taken the knife from it's sheathe, and swung in front of Caroline. The floating eyes and mouth had disappeared in a puff of smoke, however, only to reappear on top of a nearby tree branch. The face and body slowly appeared around them, showing a gray cat with light blue stripes lounging above them. It's tail swung lazily over the branch.

"What is that thing?" Klaus hissed in her ear.

"I think…you're the Cheshire cat, aren't you?" Caroline breathed, looking at the cat in awe. He only gave her his signature smile, confirming her suspicions.

"Why yes. I am."

"Wait, you know him?" Klaus asked with confusion.

"Know who?" Cheshire asked calmly.

"_You_," Klaus said, his eyebrows rising.

"What about me?"

Klaus' eyes widened, and Caroline knew he was about to throw a tantrum if she didn't intervene. She placed her hand gently on his chest, and then turned to Cheshire.

"We're lost, and don't know where to find a girl named Red."

"I thought you were looking for Grandmother Willow?"

"We are, but-"

"Well then I would suggest going that way," he said, pointing to a trail to Caroline's left.

"Let's go, Caroline. That's all we needed to know."

"Then again…it might be that way," he mused, pointing in the opposite direction. Klaus' eyes narrowed, and even Caroline felt her patience wearing thin. She should have known he wouldn't be the Cheshire cat without making things a little difficult.

"Which is it?" Klaus asked through gritted teeth. He had probably figured out by now that killing the cat was impossible. Cheshire would only disappear in a puff of smoke.

"I already told you."

"You gave us two directions."

"Did I?"

Klaus was about to go for his sword when Caroline stopped him again. "Thanks, but we'll find a way by ourselves."

"If you insist. I'll be…waiting," the cat drawled, "In case you need my assistance when you return."

"We won't be returning," Klaus said smugly, "But thanks."

Caroline looked worriedly toward the cat as he disappeared right in front of her eyes, his eyes and mouth being the last to go. All that was left after was a cloud of smoke. Something he had said was nagging at her.

"Klaus…do you think he knows?"

"You're going to have to be specific. I'm not fond of riddles at the moment."

"About us being…you know…different," she whispered. Cheshire had known they weren't from around the Enchanted Forest, or anywhere in this world. But was he privy to more than he was letting on? His words had seemed…knowing.

"I highly doubt it. He was mad." Klaus inhaled deeply, turning the horse toward the first place the cat had suggested. She sighed, observing their surroundings while Klaus steered the horse. It was going to be a long journey, no matter where they were going.

* * *

Night had finally fallen. Both Klaus and Caroline had been following the trail to nowhere. Shouldn't they have arrived to a cabin or to Grandmother Willow by now? Of course out of the two directions the cat had given them, they would take the wrong path.

"Klaus…I'm hungry," she mumbled, feeling the need to drink something. Caroline had already gone through some of the food in their pack. Her thirst was far from quenched.

"Are you absolutely sure?" he asked, enunciating each word slowly. What kind of question was that? Of course she was hungry. Caroline had decent self-control, but she wasn't as old as him. She wasn't as practiced.

"Yes. I'd be willing to drink a unicorn if it came running by."

Klaus chuckled. "That won't be necessary. But I'll give you the next best thing to unicorn."

The horse stopped moving, and Caroline turned around to face Klaus with a horrified face, everything clicking at once. Why hadn't she seen this coming sooner? The horse was a sensible option, but were they really going to walk the rest of the way to some unknown location? That was a horrendous thought! He expected her to walk after getting dressed in this getup?

She took it back. Sidesaddle wasn't that bad. Really! It wasn't!

"You're not serious."

"Oh, I'm very serious. Unless you would prefer to starve?"

"Right now? Shouldn't we find a safer place to eat? "

"Trust me. I'm the scariest creature out here."

"But-"

"Don't argue with me, love. I've been around a lot longer than you. If you want to survive, you take what you can get, and when you can get it. Since drinking from humans would draw attention, we shall take from the closest animal to us. That would be the horse. If that means we have to walk, and feed now, then so be it."

Caroline hated to admit his plan made sense. The horse was big, and would surely satisfy the both of them for a lengthy amount of time. It was just looked so pure, so innocent. What animal didn't, really?

"Fine. But I don't like it," she said stubbornly.

"I would have been surprised if you did."

Klaus dismounted, holding out his hand for Caroline to take. She slid off the horse with grace, and immediately let go of his hand. The feel of it burned her, and her stomach was already queasy. Not so much from the soon-to-be-dead animal either.

Caroline stroked the horse's mane, soothing the creature before it's imminent death. She gave it a small smile.

"I'm sorry," she whispered to it.

It didn't say anything in response. That was good. At least it wasn't a talking animal. Would that somehow make this easier?

A thought hit Caroline when she was about to let her fangs descend. Klaus had never seen her vamped out before. Not when she was about to attack her prey. It strangely felt like she was going to expose herself to him. He would be doing the same though. It wasn't like she had seen him with his hybrid face before. She had seen Tyler's, but not his. There wasn't anything wrong with letting her true form show around Klaus. Right?

He seemed to be thinking the same thing as he watched her, waiting to see her face change. She didn't want to think of how much she was…intrigued…by the idea of feeding on a living creature with him. Blood bags had always been more than enough for her, but that didn't mean she hated feasting on something with a beating heart.

She felt the veins around her eyes pop out, and her fangs emerge. Caroline could see the admiration on Klaus' face when he looked upon her, his eyes staring at her as if she were the most gorgeous specimen. Slowly, she bit into the horse's neck. Thankfully it didn't rear its head or make a fuss. It allowed her to feed. The warm blood ran down her throat, quenching that dreadful thirst she had.

Her head came back up, and she was looking at Klaus through hooded lids. Her insides felt satisfied, but she wanted more. She could feel the wet blood covering her mouth and chin as her tongue darted out to lick some away. Klaus' tongue involuntarily licked his lower lip. She saw his eyes turn yellow, and the two sets of fangs protrude. It was an eerily beautiful vision.

And she didn't feel bad for thinking that.

Caroline watched as he pet the horse, patting it gently before sinking his teeth into the soft fur. It gradually fell down to its knees, closing its eyes when Caroline sank her fangs in as well. Together, Klaus and Caroline drank the horse dry.

Once Caroline was sure there was no more blood to take, she retracted her fangs, and wiped the remains from her chin. The spot Klaus had been standing in was empty though. She looked around in front of her, unsure of where he had gone. Was he still hungry?

The howl of a wolf made her head snap around. Snow had said the forest could be dangerous at night. There was no denying that now.

Thanks to super vampire sight, she could see Klaus' silhouette, standing close by. He was only a few inches away, and the proximity made Caroline jump. He was still in his hybrid form. His yellow eyes gleamed in the moonlight, and they were staring at her as if she were something stunning. Even with a little leftover horse blood on her mouth.

His thumb came out to tentatively touch the blood on her chin, wiping a little off before sticking it into his mouth. She was dumbfounded by the way his eyes rolled back into his head, licking every inch of his thumb clean.

What was even more frightening was how she didn't protest.

"Show me again," he asked quietly.

"Why?" she asked, confused.

"Because you're breathtaking, Caroline."

Her heart felt like it was racing. Well…if it was beating, that is.

Without thinking about it, the veins underneath her eyes popped up, and her fangs lowered. His reaction was one she wouldn't forget. It was a subtle mixture of emotions hidden within his eyes. Pride. Lust. Fascination. He was absolutely captivated by her.

She began moving backward, until she felt herself hit a tree close by. Klaus followed her every step of the way, stopping whenever she did so the distance between them didn't grow. Why couldn't she make herself get away from him? She should be thinking about Tyler, and not about how she wanted to feel Klaus put those fangs to real use.

His hands grasped her arms tenderly, trailing his fingers down them airily.

"What are you doing?" Caroline asked just above a whisper. The question didn't hold anger, but curiosity.

"Going with my instincts," he drawled, moving his lips, and fangs, closer to hers. Caroline could feel her eyes close, and her body tense in anticipation for his fangs to penetrate her skin. Or for him to kiss her.

The sound of an arrow zipping through the air broke the moment, however, and Caroline's eyes flew open.

The arrow in question was protruding through Klaus' heart. He looked down, puzzled by the object that was piercing his flesh. Caroline felt the veins around her eyes disappear quickly, and her fangs retract. She looked toward the area the arrow had come from behind her. Someone had seen them.

"Step away from the girl," a man called from where he stood.

Klaus yanked the arrow out with ease, tossing it aside carelessly, as if it was amusing that someone thought a simple arrow could kill him. He moved between Caroline and the hunter at vamp speed, standing in front of her protectively, his fangs displayed menacingly for the man to see. Wait…

"The huntsman…" Caroline said to herself.

"Regina told me there was a beast lurking in the forest that needed to be taken care of. The slaughtering ends here, wolf. That first one might have missed. But I assure you this one will not." The Huntsman pointed another arrow toward Klaus, his arm drawn back.

"Klaus, we have to go. We can't kill him."

"Oh, I beg to differ. The man has a death wish. It would be rude not to fulfill that wish."

"He isn't as bad as he appears. He could be a useful alliance later. But we have to go now!"

"Give me one good reason we should."

"He doesn't know what I am! If we stay here…that will change. Trust me, we can't kill him," she pleaded. Since the Huntsman had come from behind her, he had been unable to see her vamp face.

Klaus stopped in his tracks, his face relaxing. She could see his conflicted gaze while he contemplated what to do. His mind seemed to make itself up when the second arrow hit his chest, his face contorting in anger.

"I want to make one thing clear first. I don't trust _anyone_, love," he growled quietly. Caroline swallowed the large thump in her throat, and nodded slowly. That included her.

"I don't understand…I hit you…my arrow went through your heart that time!" she heard the Huntsman say.

Klaus sped inhumanly toward their pack of provisions, then back to Caroline to pick her up, and cradle her to his chest. Finally, they headed off into the night. She felt everything go by in a blur as he ran. _They_ ran. They didn't stop until they were far from where they had left the Huntsman.

When the blurry vision had ceased, Caroline saw that they were enclosed inside a curtain of green vines. The pack fell to the forest floor with a thud, and Caroline looked up into Klaus' eyes. They were back to their normal shade of blue, and his fangs had since disappeared.

"Thank you," she whispered to him. He had managed to save her life, and spare the Huntsman's too. For Klaus, that was quite a feat.

He answered with a curt nod, letting her go easily until she was standing on her own two feet. "We should sleep," Klaus said, walking until he found a patch of grass to lie down in, "He won't be able to catch up anytime soon."

Caroline nodded, looking around for a spot to rest on. There was a low tree stump that appeared cozy enough. It's not like she would be getting much sleep after everything that had just happened anyway. And she wasn't referring to just the incident with the Huntsman.

There was that slight moment when she had almost let Klaus kiss her too.

What was she thinking? They were looking for Tyler and her friends. Tyler was her boyfriend. He was the man she should be almost kissing. Not Klaus. _Never_ Klaus.

She curled up on the stump, using their pack of provisions as a pillow. Caroline dared a glance to Klaus' chosen sleeping spot, only to see him leaning against a tree, with his arms behind his head, watching where they had come from. It irked her to admit that Klaus keeping guard made her feel safe. Like she had nothing to worry about, and any danger would be instantly taken care of.

He had been right, after all. Klaus was the scariest creature in this world.

Unless there was something, or someone, out there who could best even him. The idea seemed unlikely, but Caroline just kept getting hit with surprises. Might as well expect the worst.

* * *

**A/N: I want the Cheshire cat to be a mix between the Disney version and the Tim Burton version. Hope that's okay with you guys, and hope that comes across.  
**

**Thanks to Inge (swinty81 from tumblr) for the new cover! If you see a character on the graphic, they will be making an appearance in this fic. Just a heads up.  
**

**And sorry the late update. I hit a bit of a muse fail for this chapter, and I didn't want to disappoint. Hope it will satisfy you until next time! =]  
**


	4. The Unknown

Caroline awoke on her little stump, squinting her eyes when light shone through the curtain of tree vines. So she was still alive. Good. The Huntsman hadn't found them. They were still going to be able to find their friends.

She stretched her arms out, letting out a small little groan of sleepiness. Resting on a tree stump did not leave one feeling refreshed in the morning, but it was better than nothing. Caroline still had no idea where they were going, or how they were going to get there. Maybe a look at the map would be a good way to start the morning.

The bag she had used as a pillow should have had it somewhere inside, but when she went to check, it wasn't there. Caroline began searching frantically again, but found it wasn't anywhere in their bag of provisions. Had they left it back where the horse was lying? What if they were indefinitely lost now?

Where was Klaus? Did he have it? Caroline looked around and saw that Klaus was exactly where he had been last night. Leaning against the tree trunk with his arms crossed behind his head. Was he sleeping? Should she even ask him about the map, or would he get mad at her for losing it when it was right underneath her?

Caroline clenched her fists, having a silent fit of anger for somehow losing the map. This was _not_ how she wanted to start her morning! She began swearing under her breath as she carefully got up, so that she was on her knees.

That was when her eyes caught sight of the little raccoon standing nearby, a piece of rolled up paper in his tiny paws. So _he_ had the map.

"Come here little guy," she coaxed him quietly. "I'm not going to hurt you."

The ball of fur just stared at her though, tilting his head at her in confusion. Very slowly, Caroline began crawling toward him, biting her lip in determination. All she had to do was get close enough to gently take it from him. Nothing difficult. Not difficult at all.

But then he made a dash for it. No! Don't run! Klaus would drain him if he woke the hybrid!

Caroline was about to vamp speed to him, but was quickly thrown back so that she was on the stump, holding herself up with her elbows. She looked around in confusion as the raccoon was hanging upside down, a vine grasping his tail firmly. He looked unmoved, his face never changing as he bit the piece of paper. Ugh, now she would have bite marks and animal saliva on it.

"Enough!" an elderly voice reprimanded.

Caroline's eyes widened. What had that been? Who was there? Her mouth opened, and she tried to yell the first thing that came to her mind. "Kl—"

Of course, a vine wrapped around her mouth, keeping her from screaming anymore. What was this?!

"Calm down, child. Do you want to alert the whole forest of where you are?" the voice asked. Well, it was a sensible voice at least. Caroline shook her head, and the vine released her mouth instantly. Wait! She looked up at the tree trunk, and saw the bark moving. It had human features, and in them, she saw an elderly woman.

"Grandmother Willow," Caroline breathed. So they had stumbled upon the exact place they needed to be. What luck.

"The one and only," she chuckled happily. "Now…could you tell your handsome puppy to calm down?"

Caroline's face froze, her gaze moving to where Klaus had been sleeping. He was still within the protection of the vines, but he wasn't sleeping anymore. Instead, he was standing, facing Caroline with his fists clenched by his side, and fangs at the ready. She nodded to him, signaling that she was okay. It took him a minute or so to acknowledge her request, but his eyes eventually stopped glowing, and he only had his usual glare directed at Grandmother Willow.

"There's a good lad," the tree said softly. "Now tell me…what has brought you here? Meeko seems interested in your possessions, which tells me you are not from around here."

The little raccoon smiled widely, still trying to bite the map as if it were food. Caroline tilted her head, digging into her pack for any leftover snacks. She found a small loaf of bread, and tore a piece of it off. The raccoon seemed to hear her rummaging, and his ear perked up almost immediately. The tree vine let him drop unceremoniously as soon as he started to wiggle out of its grasp. Meeko-as he seemed to be named-somehow landed on his feet, and started scurrying over to where Caroline sat. He slowly reached for the bread in her hand, but she pulled away just before he could grab it, reaching for the map with her free hand.

"Trade," Caroline said firmly, making her motives clear.

Meeko's little arms held out the paper to her in a flash, waiting patiently for her to do the exchange. Caroline smiled at how cute he was, and took the paper slowly before giving him the bread. He made a noise of happiness, and ran off to climb up Grandmother Willow's trunk to eat his treasure hastily on one of her branches.

Caroline waved the rolled up map at Klaus, whose glare had faded into a smile while watching her work with Meeko. He began walking toward her, stopping to stand on the tree stump. Klaus offered Caroline a hand, and she took it gratefully, standing in front of him as she faced the elderly tree. Now that the map issue had been settled, they needed to find a way out of this world. Grandmother Willow waited patiently for them to begin, like she knew more than she was letting on. Caroline knew she was a wise tree though. It wouldn't surprise her if the tree knew they were seeking guidance.

"My name is Caroline, and this is Klaus. We need to find a way home…and Snow White said you could point us in the right direction?" Caroline told her. The trees "eyebrow" rose inquisitively, and seemed to think about this.

"Where exactly is your home, child?"

"We…we don't know," Caroline stated lamely. "But we need magic to get back. We don't know who to go to about it."

"I see. How long have you been stuck here?"

"Two days," Caroline answered.

"And you have not found a way yet?" the old Willow tree asked again. Caroline heard Klaus groan quietly behind her.

"We wouldn't be here if we knew that," he sighed.

"Temper, young man. Temper."

"But I wasn't—" he began, his voice rising in frustration, when Caroline placed a hand on his chest.

"We just really want to go home. We have people we need to find, and get back to."

"So you have friends in this world as well?"

"We don't know," Caroline shrugged. "We don't know if they're even here."

"I'm afraid I have never dealt with your kind of situation before, Caroline. My only suggestion would be to go into town and ask around. But whatever you do, do _not_ seek out Rumpelstiltskin. You do not want to get tangled up with him," Grandmother Willow warned.

"Would he not be able to help us?" Caroline asked.

"No. His help comes with a price. He will con you, and he will trick you into doing his biding. There are plenty of others with magic who can help you."

"Why can't you give us a name then?" Klaus asked through gritted teeth.

"Do not give me attitude!" she chided, snapping a vine on Klaus' bum. He grunted in discomfort, but kept silent. Caroline was sure she heard him mutter something about setting fire to the forest, but she ignored his mad ramblings.

"Thank you for your help, Grandmother Willow," she said softly.

"One last piece of advice, my child. Before you go."

"What is it?" she asked, feeling Klaus move to gather their belongings behind her.

"If you ever find yourself lost or confused, just listen with your heart. The spirits will guide you to where you need to be," the elderly woman advised.

Caroline nodded her head, thinking about her words of wisdom. Listen with her heart. That was what Caroline normally did, wasn't it? Did she not always follow what her heart said?

The blonde tilted her head, moving to climb Grandmother Willow's trunk. Maybe…if she climbed to the top, then there would be a chance she could see the lay of the land.

"What are you doing?" she heard Klaus call to her.

"I want to see the land. We need to know what direction we're going in."

"Caroline, we don't have time for—"

Another vine whipped at Klaus, and she could hear his growl of anger. "For such a handsome fellow, you don't seem to have much patience," Grandmother Willow mused.

"But she—"

Klaus was cut off again when the flapping of wings buzzed by Caroline, and zipped toward the hybrid. Caroline turned to see a hummingbird trying to attack Klaus, poking at his head. Klaus' hands moved about, trying to slap him away, but the hummingbird was quicker. She couldn't stop from giggling.

"I think Flit likes you," Grandmother Willow teased, chuckling to herself. "But who could blame him?"

"To think I ever liked these damn birds," Klaus groaned.

Caroline shook her head, and continued to climb, leaving Klaus to his hummingbird problem. Despite being in such a dress, she found it easy to maneuver through the branches. Once she was at the top, and popped her head through the leaves, she realized she had been right. Caroline could see far beyond the forest. It all looked so small from where she sat, looking out above the treetops.

Just a little farther from where Klaus and Caroline were, she could see the small town that Grandmother Willow had been talking about. Even by walking, they should be able to make it before the next night. She grinned excitedly, working her way down the trunk.

When she got back down, she saw that Meeko was holding the hummingbird's tail, keeping him from attacking Klaus anymore than he already had. As for Klaus, he was standing on the ground, ready to leave when Caroline was. He watched her expectantly, following her movements until she came to stand beside him.

"Thank you again, Grandmother Willow," Caroline said gratefully. Really, the tree had helped them out immensely. If anything, they now had a safe haven to return to, in case the danger they would surely face became too unbearable.

"You are most welcome, child. And remember…listen with your heart," she smiled, her face slowly morphing back into the form of a regular tree trunk. Caroline sighed, and began walking away. She would need to remember that.

Klaus and Caroline didn't say anything to each other for a while, walking through the forest until they came to a dirt trail. Once they were following that toward the direction Caroline had seen the town square, she turned to Klaus. There was still something they hadn't discussed since last night.

"Are we ever going to talk about…you know…"

"How you finally cracked last night?" Klaus smirked, waggling his eyebrows. She rolled her eyes.

"No. That's not what I meant."

"Then what did you mean?"

"I mean…how we…I just meant how we almost kissed!"

"You said it, not me," he noted, feigning innocence. Well this had been an obvious mistake.

"Look, I don't want to have to sanitize my mouth, so can we not do that again? I have Tyler to get back to."

"Ah yes, your epic romance. How could I forget?" he asked sarcastically.

"Just don't, okay?" she huffed, storming ahead of him. What an ass. Caroline should have known there was no point in talking to him about it. The sooner they forgot about what almost happened, the better.

This was going to be a very long walk to town.

* * *

In a castle off by the mountains, a queen clothed in all black paced around by the fireplace, her robes whipping around as she turned. She had sent the huntsman out to kill that godforsaken wolf that had been lurking in the forest. What was taking him so long? He should have reported back to her with a dead animal by now. Did she have to do everything herself?

As if on cue, the man in question came striding down the hall toward her, a spooked look covering his features. She didn't like seeing such a cute face covered in worry lines. Regina marched over to meet him halfway. It didn't pass her attention that there was no animal with him.

"Well?" she spat, "Where is the creature? Did you find it?"

"Your majesty, what kind of beast did you say was out there?"

"Have you forgotten that you're supposed to do as I say from now on, Hunstman? Or do I need to remind you how powerful a simple squeeze can be?" she threatened. Regina had no time for his compassion for animals. No doubt the animal had reminded him of his old hound.

"That's not why I'm asking," he began calmly. "The man I saw had yellow eyes, but I shot two arrows through his heart! Regina, he didn't die."

"What? That's impossible? They aren't invincible for crying out loud," she sneered.

"He was about to make a snack of a girl in the forest, and he took off with her after I shot him. I don't know if they were together or if he kidnapped her. He's a monster I've never come across before. I don't know how to stop him."

"Then find a—" Regina started to say, but stopped midway, an idea hitting her. "You know what…don't. I want him alive. Think about it," she began excitedly, "A creature that cannot be killed living amongst us? Immortality? I want to study him. I want to use him."

"Can you not find a spell for the same purpose? A girl could die soon!"

"Capture the monster, and you save the girl. It's a win-win," she smirked. "Besides, the only magic I know that allows for such a long life is magic that Rumpelstiltskin uses. He would never share his secrets with me."

"I'm not sure you realize what we're dealing with. What if I die and cannot bring him back to you?"

Regina smiled coldly, walking calmly to her Huntsman, and cupping his chin between her forefinger and thumb. The queen would get what she wanted. This opportunity was too wonderful to pass up.

"Unless you bring me my monster…you're dead either way."

* * *

_Two days ago_

Matt looked around where he had woken up. Where was he?

Wait…Bonnie's spell. What had he been thinking about before she zapped them all somewhere? Surely a farm hadn't been it, could it? Though…popping up near a barn wasn't the worst thing that could happen. Maybe a nice old couple lived there. If he could just find the rest of the group, maybe they could get a meal and some shelter. Anything was better than running from Esther, honestly. He was going to enjoy pretending to have a normal life for once.

He stood up slowly, looking around. The white house looked welcoming, with the white picket fence and lawn ornaments. Acres and acres of land surrounded it, along with the red barn he was beside. Matt looked down at his shirt, noticing it was dirty from where he had fallen in the mud. Now he really hoped someone lived there. Surely with all the animals, there had to be someone. They had to be taken care of.

"Eww," he heard a girl whine from inside the barn. He sighed. Of course he wouldn't be zapped somewhere with anyone other than Rebekah. He had been hoping her and Klaus were across the world. Please let there be someone else there too.

Matt made his way to the barn entrance, opening one of the doors to carefully look around inside. He couldn't help but grin a little at the blonde haired girl lying in a haystack, her face showing how absolutely disgusted she was. Her nose scrunched up as she waved a hand in front of her face.

"I don't suppose you've seen anyone else?" Matt asked, amused by her predicament.

"Does it _look_ like I've seen anyone?" Rebekah groaned, standing up quickly and staggering away from the hay. She looked down at her nice clothes and grimaced. "Ugh! I'm filthy!"

"Come on…there's a house beside the barn. Maybe someone will pity us," he tried gently. If he was going to be stuck with Rebekah for the time being, he was going to at least be civil.

"But what if they only have flannel wear?" Rebekah complained, strolling to where Matt stood by the entrance.

"I know from experience that flannel isn't so bad," he chuckled. Rebekah's eyes softened when she realized that she might have offended him, but he waved her off before she said anything. "It's fine. Let's go see if they've seen anyone else too."

"Where are we even? Besides a barn."

Matt bit his lower lip in thought, looking around for some kind of sign. There had to be something that gave them some sort of hint. He moved out of the barn, listening to the hay shuffle as Rebekah followed him out. Ah, there it was. He walked over toward the truck parked in the grass. The license plate held all the answers.

"Texas," he told Rebekah, surprised at how far away from home they were. "We're in Texas. Now come on. Let's go say hi to these hopefully nice folks, cowgirl."

"Oh god. Don't _ever_ call me that again," she sighed. Matt laughed, helping her move through the grass while she was in heels. He would suggest taking them off, but Rebekah didn't seem the type for sensible.

If they couldn't find anyone else soon, Matt was sincerely going to worry about his sanity.

* * *

_Fairytale Land / Present time_

It was nightfall before Caroline and Klaus made it into town finally. Her feet were killing her, she had only gotten a few animals worth of blood, and Klaus had kept trying to talk to her, when all she wanted was peace and quiet. How many times did she have to say that they needed to forget their almost-kiss?

The square was bustling with people, selling goods and entertaining those who walked by. Caroline smiled, not used to this kind of activity. She was surprised there were still so many people out after dark. Well, it had only just turned dark not long ago. Maybe they would be packing up their inventory soon.

"See something you like?" Klaus asked quietly. Caroline pursed her lips. She would not tell him anything.

"Can't ignore me forever, love," he persisted, catching on to her plan. Ugh.

"I don't see anything I like," she told him curtly.

"Are you sure?" he drawled. Caroline turned to face him, wanting to wipe that smirk off his face.

"Actually, I do. That tavern. I need a drink," she retorted, walking off toward the building she had set her sights on. Caroline heard Klaus following, but quite frankly, she wouldn't give a damn if he didn't. For just one moment, she needed a break from the constant pestering.

"What a coincidence, I do too," he said happily, walking ahead of her to open the door. Caroline tried not to grin. She was still mad at him. No grinning.

But for being such a villain, he was indeed a gentleman.

The first thing she noticed upon walking in was that the place was packed. There were so many people getting drunk, playing darts, socializing, dancing, and singing. Whatever a person could think to do.

"Well this is certainly quaint," Klaus remarked, looking disgusted at all the drunken fools by the bar.

"It's not an upscale lounge, but it will do," she shrugged.

"If you can find a table with all this riff raff, I'll attend to the drinks," he said, bowing his head slightly before walking off to order.

Caroline had to do a little sidestepping and pushing, but she got through fairly unscathed. Besides a few wolf whistles she could have done without. Idiots. They were lucky Klaus wasn't there.

Not that he would have done anything. Nope.

She arranged her skirts so that she could sit down on one of the benches, clasping her hands together while she waited for Klaus. Caroline looked anxiously around, afraid someone would bump into her and be an ass. Obviously she could snap anyone's neck if she wanted to, but that wasn't what they needed. In a crowded place no less. She just wanted to get out without making a scene.

But that probably wasn't going to happen.

There was movement beside her, and she thought it was Klaus coming over with the drinks, but it was instead another man. A very handsome man with short, black hair, blue eyes-surrounded by black eyeliner-that could somehow compete with Klaus', and stubble to match the rough appearance. His dark clothing and sword framed his lean body perfectly. He was the epitome of tall, dark, and mysterious.

"Well hello there, love," the man said. "What's a pretty thing like you doing all alone? And in a place with such brutes."

"Waiting," she said curtly, tapping her fingers on the table impatiently.

"You don't strike me as the waiting type," he observed, his voice a sultry rasp. Damn he was really smooth.

"And how would you know, exactly?" she retorted, raising her eyebrows in challenge. Oh god. He gave her the brightest smile she had ever seen. Someone help her, he was too good looking.

"Are you serious?" he laughed. "The guarded posture, the biting words, the intensity in those sparkling eyes…you don't do the waiting. Others wait for _you_."

"Charming, really, but is there a point to this?" she asked sarcastically, sighing. She was trying not to get drawn into his addictive personality, and unbelievable charisma, but it was proving to be hard.

"All I wanted to do was have a drink with a pretty lass while I was in town. And who doesn't like a challenge?" the man asked rhetorically.

Caroline looked him up and down, scrutinizing his every action. He didn't seem to be lying to her. Which made her wonder even more what he was up to. But considering it was nice to see an attractive male besides Klaus—and that did not mean she found Klaus attractive—she thought she would give her possible suitor a chance.

"Fine. You can stay," she nodded, giving him a small grin.

He returned her grin with another bright, wolfish smile. "Excellent. Now, who is this man that has kept you waiting? Will he be displeased to have competition?"

"Niklaus Mikaelson. And yes. I doubt he would be very fond of you," Klaus said, walking up at that time with their mugs of, what she presumed, was ale.

"No need to be a bad sport, is there? We can all be friendly," the dark haired man said with a smile. "Tell me, what brings you two into town?"

"I'm afraid that is none of your business," Klaus replied, hiding his dangerous tone with a smile.

"I was only making conversation," the man replied, turning his attention to Caroline. "If you don't mind me asking, of course. I understand if you have your reasons for secrets. I have too many myself to judge."

Well wasn't she in a tough spot? There was Klaus to one side, not enjoying the man's company at all. Then there was Caroline, who was slowly warming up to him. Something about him just made her want to give him a chance. It wasn't just his looks either. But Caroline couldn't put her finger on it.

"We need to find a way home. And we don't know where our friends are."

"Oh. I'm so sorry. Is there any way I can help?" he asked sincerely.

"Leave us to discuss our next plan," Klaus added, taking a sip from his mug. The other man only ignored him though.

"Whatever you need, tell me. I can point you in the right direction," the man said enthusiastically. Caroline smiled, trying to think.

"Well…we need magic. But all the magic here is apparently the wrong _kind_ of magic. Do you know of what would help us get to…you know, another world? I don't know how to explain it."

The man's eyes lit up then, and he leaned in closer to Caroline. She could literally feel Klaus tense up beside her because of it. "I think I know how to help. The magic you're looking for may be in another land entirely. And I have the ship to get you there. My men are around here somewhere enjoying the night, and then we plan on leaving by morning."

"A ship? You could help us to another land?" Caroline asked, not wanting to get her hopes up. What if that was their problem? The magic they were looking for wasn't where they were?

"I'd be more than happy to. But…in exchange, I want just a little of your time. Give you a real chance to know me," he drawled seductively.

"I don't think we need your—" Klaus began angrily, but Caroline interjected. If she didn't stop him soon, there would no doubt be a scene. They might need this man though. Klaus' temper couldn't get the best of him. It would ruin their chances.

"Fine. You have a deal," Caroline said decisively.

"What?!" Klaus hissed. "Caroline, there are other ways of getting what we want. We do not need this man's help."

"It's fine," she assured him, turning back to the stranger. "If my time is what you want in exchange for our ride, then fine."

"Wonderful," the man smirked.

"What land are we going to? Where is this magic that we might be able to use?" Caroline asked.

"Have you ever heard of a place called Neverland?" the dark haired man whispered. Caroline's eyes widened. Neverland? That's where they were going? Like…the second star to the right Neverland?

"Yes…I've heard of it," she breathed.

"All the better then," he said happily. "If you don't mind now, may I ask what your name is?"

She could hear Klaus give a grunt of displeasure, downing the rest of his drink. They really needed to talk later about controlling the urge to rip everyone's head off. They couldn't risk being on a ship and having him kill everyone, just because it was more secluded. Someone would eventually realize they were gone, and start to ask questions. They could always compel the shipmates to forget, and then heal them to hide the bite marks. And...

Wait…this man had a ship…he was going to take them to Neverland…and she hadn't seen his left hand all night, because it was behind his back. Why had she not connected the dots sooner? Ah. Right. It was probably because of the rugged good looks that she hadn't expected to be associated with _him_.

"Caroline," she said, giving him her left hand on purpose, expecting his in return. "And your name?"

The man gave a devilish smile, reaching for her hand with the very one that had been hidden since he first arrived. The feel of metal stroked her palm softly, moving her hand closer so he could easily place a kiss to it. Her eyes met his, and for the first time that night, she saw the glint of mischief she had managed to miss before. Oh. God.

"Killian Jones, love," he introduced quietly, his voice husky and enticing. "But most know me as Captain Hook."

* * *

**A/N: So many things this chapter. What is our evil queen up to? (I didn't think there was a spell for immortality in FTL, but if there is, well then this is an AU, so I'm making it where there isn't. Haha.)**

**Matt and Rebekah are not in Fairytale land either. So now it's just Bonnie and Tyler unaccounted for. Where could they be?  
**

**And as requested by some, we have our favorite captain ;) but will Klaus really go along with this? Or will another adventure be in store? He certainly isn't happy about Killian's offer. But only time will tell. Jealous Klaus is fun though. Mwahaha.  
**

**Sorry again for the long wait, but I write when the muse says to. Hope this chapter was what you wanted!  
**

**Until next time =]  
**


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